Game system, corresponding method and adapted devices

ABSTRACT

Game system in which a plurality of participants transmit to at least one central play station ( 3 ) participant play data for taking part in at least one game ( 31, 32, 33 ) in special messages by means of mobile radio devices ( 2 ) through the mobile radio network ( 1 ). The central play station ( 3 ) carries out games according to predefined game rules and transmits central game data in special short messages through the mobile radio network ( 1 ) to the mobile radio devices ( 2 ) of the participants. The mobile radio devices ( 2 ) include a SIM card ( 21 ) for the game system, which has a memory, programmed means and a processor in order to show to a participant playing instructions and game results on a display ( 22 ) of a mobile radio device ( 2 ), and to convey the data to the central play station ( 3 ) by means of said special short messages, and to store a p repaid amount which can be used to pay for wagers and to which winnings can be booked.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a game system. More specifically it relates toa game system in which a plurality of participants transmit to at leastone central play station, through a telecommunications network,participant game data for taking part in at least one game, the centralplay station carrying out games according to predefined game rules andtransmitting central game data to said participants.

2. Description of Related Art

In the known game systems, participants transmit their participant gamedata to a central play station in that they fill in lottery tickets orother betting slips, and these are received by corresponding,decentralized receiving points and are transmitted to a central playstation through a communications network. The lottery numbers or theresults of other bets are determined at such central play stations andare made public through various media, for example through television ornewspapers. By showing a lottery ticket with winning numbers, orrespectively a betting slip with the correct results, a participant canhave paid out to him a winning sum, in relation to the amount wagered,by a receiving point or a central play station.

Other game systems are known from the Internet in which a participanttransmits to a central play station participant game data through theInternet by means of a program on his personal computer, which centralgame station can carry out well-known casino games, such as blackjack orpoker, and transmit corresponding central game data through the Internetto the program on the PC, which displays these data to the participanton the screen. To play for money, the participant has to have set up agame account at the central play station, to which wagered amounts andwinning sums can be debited or credited.

Described in the patent application WO 97/28636 are a methods andcorresponding means which make it possible for a player with a pushbutton telephone, for example a mobile radio telephone, to take part ina gambling procedure via a telecommunications network. After entry of aPIN number (Personal Identification Number) and a bank account number,the participant according to WO 97/28636, can select a desired game, andenter betting numbers corresponding to the game, a confirmation of thekeys pressed takes place acoustically over the telephone and/oroptically on a selected teletext page. In the method according to WO97/28636, playing fees and playing winnings can be booked, for example,to an indicated bank account.

Described in the patent application DE 195 02 613 A1 is a playing systemin which a plurality of playing devices, in particular also mobile radiotelephones, are connectable to a central computer via a remote datatransmission. According to DE 195 02 613, allocated to the centralcomputer is a random generator which determines winning symbolcombination which are displayed on the playing devices. To take part ina game, the playing devices, according to DE 195 02 613 A1, comprise acoupling device with a special registration number, for example a cardreader for receiving a personal identification card with a PIN numberstored thereon, it being possible for the registration number to formthe winning number at the same time; for example the end digits of thePIN number stored on the identification card can be used to determine apossible winning. According to DE 195 02 613, on-line playing fees andplaying winnings can also be booked via a card reader, if a value cardis inserted into the card reader.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of this invention to propose a new game system in whichin particular interested participants are independent of specialreceiving points, and are not bound to a place that has personalcomputers linked to the Internet.

According to the present invention these objects are attained inparticular through the elements of the characterizing part of theindependent claims. Further preferred embodiments follow moreover fromthe dependent claims and from the description.

In particular these objects are attained through the invention in thatthe game data exchanged between the participants and the central playstation is transmitted in special short messages by a plurality ofmobile radio devices through the mobile radio network to the centralplay station, or respectively from the central play station through themobile radio network to the mobile radio devices of the participants.

According to the invention, the central play station comprises a serverand means of receiving participant game data from registeredparticipants in special short messages from a plurality of mobile radiodevices through a mobile radio network, means to determine central gamedata according to predefined game rules, and means to transmit thedetermined central game data in special short messages through themobile radio network to the mobile radio devices of the participants.

According to the invention, the mobile radio devices of the participateshave a SIM card, which contains means according to the invention todisplay to the participant playing instructions and game results on adisplay unit of the mobile radio device, to receive participant gamedata, entered through input means of the mobile radio device, and totransmit said data to the central play station by means of special shortmessages.

The SIM card preferably has, moreover, means to store a prepaid amount,which can be used to pay for wagers, and also to book winnings. Such aSIM card has the advantage that a participant can be provided thereby inan efficient way with personal and customer-specific means to take partin games. Moreover through the SIM card the participant can beidentified by the central play station, for example by means of a uniqueparticipant tag, an IMSI (international mobile subscriber identifier)stored on the SIM card.

According to the present invention, the central play station alsocomprises means to book wagered amounts transmitted by participants inparticipant game data to game accounts of the participants, which arepreferably stored in a database accessible to the central play station,and means to determine winning quotas of played games, to distributewinning sums, and to book them to the corresponding game accounts.

The participants are preferably identified and their identityauthenticated by the central play station. It can be ensured therebythat wagered amounts or winning sums, are debited, or respectivelycredited, to the correct participant.

In the present invention, to ensure the authenticity of game data andabove all also the authenticity of identity of the respectiveparticipant, the game data exchanged through the mobile radio networkbetween the mobile radio devices and the central play station arepreferably transmitted with the aid of security services, such as, forexample, TTP (trusted third party) or a corresponding encryption method.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in thefollowing using an example. The example embodiment is illustrated by thefollowing attached figure:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an overall diagram with a mobile radio network and mobileradio devices connected thereto and a central play station with accessto a database.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A participant, who would like to take part in games 31, 32, 33, can opena game account with the operator of a central game station 3, into whichaccount he can pay a desired amount in a specific currency. In avariant, the currency can also be as desired, and will be converted intoa unified currency, for example SDR, by the central play station 3 bymeans of a table with rates of exchange stored in a database 4. Theopening of the account takes place either directly at a sales point ofthe operator, or, in a variant, by means of special administrativeservices, directly from the mobile radio device 2, for example a mobiletelephone, with the aid of security services such as, for example, TTP(trusted third party), PTP (point-to-point) methods or anotherencryption method. The payment of the monetary amount into the gameaccount can take place by means of cash deposit at a sales point of theoperator, a monetary transfer can be made from another account, or apayment order made, or purchased phone cards can be used which can betransferred to the game account by validation services at the centralplay station 3.

In a variant, a participant can have a prepaid amount stored by theoperator of the central play station 3 on his SIM card 21. If theparticipant registers for games 31, 32, 33 by means of special servicesat the central play station 3, a prepaid amount stored on the SIM card21 can be transferred thereby to the central play station 3, in that bymeans of special messages through the mobile radio network 1, forexample a GSM network, it is transferred to the central play station,validated there, stored on the game account of the participant, andsubtracted from the SIM card. In another variant, a prepaid amountstored on the SIM card 21 is first transferred to the central playstation 3, and validated there, if there is participation in a game 31,32, 33 or if the participant wishes to transfer, with a further specialservice, a certain portion of the prepaid amount stored on the SIM card21 to his game account. The participant can be identified by the centralplay station 3, for example by means of a unique participant tag, anIMSI (identity mobile subscriber identifier), stored on the SIM card.

Special services are carried out in this embodiment example preferablyaccording to the SICAP method, which is described in EP 0 689 368 B1,among other sources, or according to a similar method.

If a participant wishes to take part in a game 31, 32, 33, he can entera command for game registration on his mobile radio device 2, forexample by means of a predefined key of the mobile radio device 2, apredefined number, which can be entered using the keyboard of the mobileradio device 2, or by selecting the corresponding command from a list ora menu shown on the display 22. The command is received by a program onthe SIM card 21 of his mobile radio device 2, which prepares a specialshort message with the game registration and transmits this messagethrough the mobile radio network 1 to the central play station 3.

At the central play station 3 the special short message is received, itsgame registration is taken, and the participant is registered in a tableof the database 4, in which all the registered players are entered.After completed registration, the balance of the participant's gameaccount is transmitted to him by means of special services, and is shownon the display 22 of his mobile radio device 2, and is stored on his SIMcard 21. In a variant, in which a prepaid amount stored on the SIM card21 is not transmitted to the central play station 3 during theregistration, the participant can be shown this amount as the amountavailable for playing.

In a variant, the participant indicates already during the registrationin which games 31, 32, 33 he wishes to take part, for example a numberlottery or betting on a horse race, and the respective game is likewiseentered together with the participant in the table of the registeredplayers by the central play station 3. In another variant, theparticipant does not limit himself, and thereby registers himself as apotential player for all available games 31, 32, 33. Depending upon therange of games offered, it can also be that a participant has toregister himself for a very specific game 31, 32, 33 from among manypossible games 31, 32, 33, for example for German football among thesports matches.

Upon beginning a game 31, 32, 33, which, depending upon the type of game31, 32, 33 and the embodiment variant, can take place immediately afterregistration of a participant for the respective game 31, 32, 33, afterregistration of a predefined number of participants for the respectivegame 31, 32, 33, or at a predetermined point in time, the central playstation 3 transmits by means of a special short message central gamedata through the mobile radio network 1 to all registered players withthe request to enter and to transmit all participant game data requiredfor the respective game 31, 32, 33. Required in the case of a game ofchance, for example, is a bet, for example one or more lottery numbers,the winner of a horse race or the winner of a ski race, and an amountplaced as a bet, which can be freely selected or can be limited topre-given amounts. In the case of a card game, such as, for example,blackjack, the player is allotted a playing card, in this example, andthis card is represented to him symbolically, and an amount to be placedas a bet is requested from him, as well as playing instructions, sayingfor example to give a further card or that he has enough cards. This isdone preferably in such a way that the central playing data are handledwith special services by means of a program stored on the SIM card 21 tocarry out the method of execution already mentioned above, theinformation and instructions contained in the central game data beingshown to the player by means of the display 22 of the mobile radiodevice 2. According to the instructions of the central play station 3,the player can enter his participant game data by means of a keyboard ofthe mobile radio device 2, or in another variant can use special keys toselect values and instructions from a menu and/or list shown on thedisplay 22. The program mentioned above on the SIM card 21 receives theentered information, and transmits it as participant game data inspecial short messages through the mobile radio network 1 to the centralplay station 3 through the mobile radio network 1 as the reply to therequest to play.

The wagered amount entered by the participant is preferably comparedeach time with the balance of the game account stored on the SIM card 21by the program on the SIM card 21, or in a variant with the prepaidamount stored on the SIM card 21, in order to ensure that it is covered.If the amount wagered is not covered, this is displayed to theparticipant, whereby the participant can then enter a smaller amount orstop the game 31, 32, 33. This has the advantage that uncovered bets donot have to be transmitted through the mobile radio network 1, and thecentral play station 3 is relieved of the burden. If the amount wageredis covered, it is deducted by the program on the SIM card 21 from thebalance of the game account stored on the SIM card 21, or in a variantfrom the prepaid amount stored on the SIM card 21, if the bet has beentransmitted successfully, and, depending upon the game 31, 32, 33,within the regular playing time. The reception and acceptance of the betis preferably confirmed to the participant by the central play station 3by means of special short messages, and the amount placed, the bet and,if applicable, the new balance of the game account of the participantare transmitted, for example.

The central play station 3 preferably comprises a server with a centralservice unit 30 for handling special short messages, which is designedin such a way that it can carry out special services according to theabove-mentioned method which are ordered by participants in the mobileradio network 1, for example a mobile radio network 1 according to theGSM standard, in SMS short messages, for example, or in USSD(unstructured supplementary service data). For example, the games 31,32, 33 available in the central play station 3 are special serviceswhich can be carried out by the central service unit 30.

The participant game data transmitted in the special short messages asthe reply to the request to play, as mentioned above, are received bythe central play station 3 and are correspondingly further handled inthe respective game 31, 32, 33. For example, the wagered amount placedby the participant in a game of chance is stored, together with the betmade, in a table for the respective participant and the respective gamestored in the database 4, and the wagered amount is debited to the gameaccount of the participant. Depending upon the type of game 31, 32, 33,the wagered amounts can also be accumulated to determine moreover atotal winning sum. As already mentioned above, the acceptance of a betis preferably confirmed to the participant by the central play isstation 3.

Depending upon the playing rules of the game 31, 32, 33, participantgame data are received only during a regular playing time determined inadvance so that, for example, bets received after expiration of theplaying time are not accepted by the central play station 3, and amessage to this effect is sent to the participant. Afterwards the gameresults are determined by the central playing station according to theplaying rules of the game 31, 32, 33 and using the received participantplaying data. For example, in the case of a wager, the bets received arecompared with the betting results, i.e. the result of the subject beingbet upon, for example the winning numbers pulled in a lottery, which ina variant can also be determined by the central playing station, thewinner of a horse race or the winner of a football game, and the winningquotas and winning sums are determined on the basis of the receivedwagered amounts. The winners are determined, and the winnings owed themare added to their game accounts, or, in a variant, added to the prepaidamount on their SIM card 21. The winnings and the new balance of theirgame account are transmitted to the winning participants in specialshort messages, and are displayed on the display 22 of their mobileradio device 2, and the new balance of their game account is stored ontheir SIM card 21. The game result and the winning quotas are preferablytransmitted and displayed to all the participating players in specialshort messages.

It should be mentioned that the game data, especially if it containsmonetary amounts, are transmitted with the aid of security services suchas, for example, TTP (trusted third party) or a corresponding encryptionmethod in order to ensure the confidentiality, the authenticity, theindisputableness of origin and the integrity of the game data, and aboveall the authenticity of identity of the participant concerned.

In particular for games 31, 32, 33 which have a complex course as gamedof chance, the game steps executed in such a game 31, 32, 33 are storedfor the participants by the central play station 3 in tables of thedatabase 4 so that the current game status for each participant in arespective game 31, 32, 33 can be determined at any point in time duringa game. For example, in a game of blackjack, the cards already seen by aplayer, the wagered amounts placed in each case, as well as the player'slast instruction are stored so that it can be determined in the centralplay station 3 through respective game 31, 32, 33 whether the respectiveplayer possibly wants to take further cards, whether he already hasenough cards and the opponent can make a move, whether a new game seriesbegins or whether new cards have to be shuffled. Among other things,this definitely makes it possible for a participant to take part inseveral games 31, 32, 33 at the same time. It is of course clear that,for this purpose, the respective game 31, 32, 33 for which instructionsare shown to the participant, for example, is clearly identified anddisplayed to the participant in order to avoid mix-ups.

Provisions evidently have to be made as to how to proceed in carryingout all games 31, 32, 33 if a participating player does not transmitexpected participant game data within a pre-given time period or iseliminated from the game 31, 32, 33 by turning off his mobile radiodevice 2 or by breaking off the game 31, 32, 33. In such cases hiswagered amount for unfinished games for which he still has not completedthe transmission of the expected participant game data can simply remainin the winning sum to be distributed, for example, and the informationstored in the tables of the database 4 relating to the participant canbe deleted. However, for games 31, 32, 33 in which he has stoppedparticipating before the game results were determined, but for which hehas transmitted all expected participant game data, possible winningscan be booked to his game account, and the related information stored intables of the database 4 relating to the participant can be kept untilthe end of the respective game 31, 32, 33, and deleted afterwards. Thishas the advantage that games of chance can also be carried out, forexample, in which the placing of bets can be permitted over a longerperiod, i.e. a period of hours or even days. Upon breaking off the game,turning off the mobile radio device 2 and after a pre-determined periodof time without transmission of participant game data, the participantis deleted in the table of registered players stored in the database 4.

Besides requests to transmit participant game data or informationconcerning game results and winnings, the central play station 3 canalso transmit auxiliary information, game rules, conditions forparticipation, results of previous games 31, 32, 33 and the like bymeans of special short messages through the mobile radio network 1 tothe participants. For this purpose, the participant can ask for specificinformation by selecting it from a list transmitted by the central playstation 3 or stored on the SIM card 21, which is shown on the display22. In a variant, by means of a predefined key the participant can alsorequest context-specific help information, which, for example, can bedetermined by the central play station 3 on the basis of the game 31,32, 33 in progress or the game situation, and can be transmitted to theparticipant.

For marketing this game system, in particular for more complex games 31,32, 33, it can definitely be useful to produce SIM cards which arespecially designed for this purpose and which have stored prepaidmonetary amounts that can be reloaded. In a variant, game programs canbe loaded on the SIM card 21 by means of special short messages, forexample by the central play station 3 through the mobile radio network1.

It should also be mentioned here that the mobile radio devices 2comprise, in addition to mobile telephones, also other devices, forexample laptop or palmtop computers which have an identificationchipcard, i.e. a SIM card 21, and which can receive and transmit specialshort messages through the mobile radio network 1, for example a GSMnetwork, and can carry out corresponding special services, according tothe above-mentioned SICAP method, for example.

What is claimed is:
 1. A game system in which a plurality ofparticipants transmit to at least one central play station through atelecommunications network, participant game data for taking part in atleast one game, the central play station carrying out games according topredefined game rules and transmitting central game data to saidparticipants, the game data exchanged between participants and thecentral play station being transmitted in special short messages by aplurality of mobile radio devices through a mobile radio network to thecentral play station or respectively by said central play stationthrough said mobile radio network to said mobile radio devices of saidparticipants, wherein the mobile radio devices comprise a SIM card,which has memory, programmed means and a processor, the programmed meanscontaining a program for executing the following functions: displayingplaying instruction and game results on a display of the mobile radiodevice, receiving participant game data entered through input means ofthe mobile radio device, and transmitting the entered participant gamedata to the central play station by means of said special shortmessages.
 2. The game system according to claim 1, wherein the centralplay station includes: a receiver for receiving bets transmitted byparticipants; a comparator for comparing the received bets with bettingresults and determining winners and winning sums; and a transmitter fortransmitting game results to the participants.
 3. The game systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the central play station includes at leastone server and has access to at least one database in which gameaccounts of participants are stored to which wagered amounts and winningsums are booked.
 4. The game system according to claim 1, wherein saidSIM card has stored an amount which is used to pay wagered amounts. 5.The game system according to claim 4, wherein the said central playstation books winnings to said SIM card.
 6. The game system according toclaim 1, wherein the central play station identifies said participant bymeans of a participant tag stored on said SIM card.
 7. The game systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the central play station has access to atleast one database in which the central play station stores, for atleast certain games, the playing steps carried out for said participantsparticipating therein.
 8. The game system according to claim 1, whereinsaid special short messages are transmitted as short message serviceshort messages or as unstructured supplementary service data.
 9. Amethod for carry out games in a central play station comprising:transmitting participant game data in special short messages by aplurality of mobile radio devices through a mobile radio network toparticipants, determining central game data according to predefined gamerules, and transmitting determined central game data in special shortmessages through said mobile radio network to the mobile radio devicesof the participants, wherein a SIM card is inserted into the mobileradio devices in each case, which SIM card has memory, programmed meansand a processor, the programmed means containing a program through whichthe following steps are executed: displaying playing instructions andgame results on a display of the mobile radio device; receivingparticipant game data entered through input means of the mobile radiodevice; and transmitting the entered participant game data to thecentral play station by means of said special short messages.
 10. Themethod according to claim 9, wherein the participant game data includeswagered amounts, and further comprises: identifying and authenticatingthe participants; booking received wagered amounts in a database;determining winning quotas; and distributing and booking winning sums.11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: receivingspecial short messages with game registrations from interestedparticipants; transmitting special short messages to registeredparticipants with a request to begin play and for time-limitedtransmission of participant game data; and storing the receivedparticipant game data.
 12. The method according to claim 9, furthercomprising: debiting to a game account or to a SIM card of a registeredparticipant a particular monetary amount for the transmission of shortmessages.
 13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:receiving a command for game registration, which has been entered by aparticipant through input means of said mobile radio device; preparing aspecial short message with the game registration and transmissionthereof to said central play station; and receiving special shortmessages from said central play station with a request to begin play andfor time-limited transmission of participant game data, and transmissionof the request to the display of said mobile radio device.
 14. Themethod according to claim 9, further comprising; booking a wageredamount transmitted to said central play station against a prepaid storedamount.
 15. The method according to claim 9, further comprising: bookinga winning sum transmitted by said central playstation.